Electrical connectors (“connector”) are used in a variety of applications, and depending on the application, the connectors may be subjected to strong vibrational forces. A conventional connector generally includes a male connector having male type terminals and a female connector having female type terminals, which in turn are electrically connected to the male type terminals when mated with each other. However, when the connectors are subjected to vibration, initial connecting conditions between points of contacts of the male type terminals and the female type terminals cannot always be maintained, reducing the connecting reliability of connectors.
Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-91029A and 2003-323924A disclose examples of conventional connectors having vibration resistant properties. JP 2000-91029A discloses a conventional connector in which a male connector is connected to a female connector, even if the male connector and the female connector are not accurately facing each other. Further, this conventional connector can prevent deformation or damage in the event of a positional shift or vibration being generated between modules, after connecting both connectors.
JP 2003-323924A discloses another conventional connector where only a small percentage of a vibration or shock is transmitted between connectors, such that reliable connecting conditions can be maintained, while allowing for the physical size of the connector to be reduced.
In conventional connectors, where a plurality of female type terminals are positioned in a common housing and a plurality of male type terminals are connected thereto, the male type terminals are often fixed to a single device, such as a circuit board. When this circuit board vibrates due to external factors, both the male type terminals and the female connector vibrate in sync with the circuit board. Accordingly, there is a relative positional relationship, such that a connection relation between the male type terminals and the female type terminals will maintain the initial condition, or even if it cannot be maintained, the relative displacement will be minute.
However, there are also situations in the male type terminals are fixed to different devices. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, first male type terminals MA are connected to a first circuit board SA and second male type terminals MB are connected to a second circuit board SB, and are respectively connected to two female type terminals FA, FB held in a common housing. The respective vibration modes of the first circuit board SA and the second circuit board SB may have different durations of vibration and amplitudes. Displacement of the first male type terminals MA accompanying the vibration, and the displacement of the second male type terminals MB accompanying the vibration will differ. The relative positional relationship must be maintained between the first male type terminals MA and the first female type terminals FA as well as the relative positional relationship between the second male type terminals MB and the second female type terminals FB. For example, when the common housing holding the female type terminals FA, FB is fixed to the first circuit board SA, the second male type terminals MB might be shifted in position with respect to the housing by the vibrational force. When the second male type terminals MB extend through male terminal receiving passageways disposed in the housing, and are connected to the second female type terminals FB, the second male type terminals MB will be displaced with the housing within the receiving passageways. Since surfaces of the second male type terminals MB are usually formed with a plating film for maintaining favorable electric connection, there is a risk that the plating film is peeled through this sliding, and debris is scattered to the periphery. Since the debris is made of metal and exhibits conductivity, they might become factors causing inconveniences such as short-circuiting of peripheral electronic circuits.
As such, there is a need for an electrical connector that reduces sliding between male type terminals fixed to a circuit board or other device, and a housing upon being subject to different vibrational mode.